Women’s Soccer Student-Athletes, Alumnae Excel during Black History Month

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – As Black History Month draws to a close, Harvard University women’s soccer can look back on a month where several of its Black student-athletes and alumnae have excelled on the international stage with their respective national teams.

Reflecting on the impact of diversity within the Crimson’s program earlier this month, Chris Hamblin, The Branca Family Head Coach for Harvard Women's Soccer, noted the significance of that diversity within the context of Black History Month.

Margaret “Midge” Purce ’17: Helping Lead U.S. to SheBelieves Title

One of the most accomplished student-athletes in program history, Margaret “Midge” Purce earned Ivy League Player of the Year twice and First Team All-Ivy honors four times. A 2016 First Team All-America selection and semifinalist for the MAC Hermann Award, she was picked in the first round, ninth overall, in the 2017 NWSL Draft.

After Harvard, Purce has shined on the professional level playing in the National Women’s Soccer League and for the U.S. Women’s National Team. Purce made her debut with the senior national team in 2019 and has tallied 12 caps, two goals, and three assists with the U.S.

This February, Purce helped the U.S. win its third straight SheBelieves Cup. Purce and the United States topped New Zealand (5-0) and Iceland (5-0), while drawing with the Czech Republic to finish atop the standings with seven points. Purce played in all three matches at the tournament and tallied an assist.

Alika Keene ’16: Jamaica Picks up Pair of Wins in World Cup Qualifying

Alika Keene ’16 played in 65 career games for the Crimson as a defender from 2012-15 as Harvard consistently ranked as one of the top defenses in the Ivy League during her tenure. She helped lead the Crimson to Ivy League titles and NCAA tournament appearances in both 2013 and 2014.

Beyond Harvard, Keene has represented Jamaica on the international level and competed with Gintra Universitetas FC (Lithuania) on the club level, including in the UEFA Women’s Champions League.

This February, Keene played with the Jamaica Senior National Team at the CONCACAF Women’s Championship – part of the World Cup qualification campaign – helping the team defeat Bermuda (4-0) and Grenada (6-1), including a striking goal for Jamaica’s fifth tally in the victory over Grenada.

Cayla McFarlane ’24: Trinidad and Tobago Wins Twice in World Cup Qualifying

Following her first season of competition with the Crimson this past fall, sophomore Cayla McFarlane earned a call up into the Trinidad and Tobago Senior National Team ahead of the CONCACAF Women’s Championship – part of the World Cup qualifying campaign.

McFarlane – who played in six of the team’s seven Ivy League games this past fall – previously competed for Trinidad and Tobago’s senior national team and earned three caps, while competing in the 2020 CONCACAF Olympic qualifying competition.

This February, she made a pair of starts for Trinidad and Tobago in World Cup qualifying as the team topped both Nicaragua (2-1) and Dominica (2-0).

Jade Rose ’25: Canada’s Top Youth Player

The 2021 Canada Soccer Youth Player of the Year, first-year defender Jade Rose earned First Team All-Ivy, Top Drawer Soccer First-year Best XI First Team, and First Team All-East Region this past season. A standout for the Crimson as a rookie, Rose played in and started 15 games as a center back, ranking second on the team in minutes played (1,309).

Rose made her debut with the Canada Soccer Senior National Team in February 2021 at the SheBelieves Cup in a 1-0 win over Argentina and featured in her second international match just three days later against Brazil. Rose has also played for Canada’s national teams at the U15, U17, and U20 levels.

This February, Rose is competing with Canada’s U20 side, competing at the CONCACAF U20 Championship – part of Canada’s qualification route for the U20 Women’s World Cup. Thus far in the competition, Rose has helped Canada defeat St. Kitts and Nevis (7-0) and El Salvador (4-0) with an upcoming match vs. Trinidad and Tobago (Mar. 1). Rose played the full 90 minutes in the team’s victory over El Salvador.